The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-09-02

"Tm sure thank you for your ADVICE"
said Miss Lettia, land mean toEact upon it
TO the letter."
Scarcely was he out of sight when Miss
Letitia sent a summons to Mr.. Small, which
he obeyed as promptly as his neighbor had
done. ~
She made to him precisely the same state
ment she had made to Mr.. Babcock, showed
him the injured property, and asked him
to fix the damages. 1t was remarked before
he did1hat he should ask the same questions
that Mr.. Babcock had asked, namely, whether
she had any suspicious to whom the animals
belonged.
| "Well, one of them observed had a ter
ribly crooked horn"
"Precisely-it's Babcock's heifer; would
know her among thousand. She was black
and white, wasn't she ?" 80
"Well, now l think of it she was; one
seldom sees SO clear black and white cow"
ITO be sure, they're Babcock' animals fast
enough. Well, let me see what you want
is fair estimate, supposed"
Certainly"
"Wel, l should say ninety dollors was as
low as he ought 10 be allowed to get off
with"
."Oh, l fear that will seem as if meant to
take advantage. Suppose we call it-say
seventy-five."
Just as you please, of course; but hanged
If I'd let him off for cent less than humid
red, if it were my case"
And if he refuses to pay?"
why, keep the animals until he comes
around, that's ALL"
"But there's one thing neglected to men,
tion-our gate was standing open that may
alter the case"
Not at all there is no law against keep
ing your gate open; there is against stray
animals"
Very well, thank you for your advice"
said Miss Letitia; and Mr.. Small departed
with ms smiling countenance as Mr. Babcock
had worn.
But at milking time that night he made
a strange discovery-old brindle was miss
ing At or about the same hour Mr.. Bah
cock made similar discovery; the black
and white hefer was nowhere to be found
A horrible suspicion seized them both-suspi-
cion they would not have made known to
each other for the whole world.
They waited until it was dark, and then
Babcock stole around to Miss LetItia's and
meekly asked leave to look at the animals
which had committed the trespass. He
would have done it without asking leave,
only that thrifty Miss Lettia always shut
her barn doors at night.
While he stood looking over the pens
where the cows were confined, and trying TO
negotiate with Miss Letitia for the release Of
the heifer, along came Mr.. Small in quest of
his brindle. The two men stared at each
other in blank dismay, theu hung their heads
in confusion.
Ii was useless to assert that the damages
were too high for had they not fixed them
themselves? 1t was useless to plead that
I,pt w n a M n or rpgnnnaihln In
what had happened, on account Of the open
gate, for had they not assured her that cir
cumstance did not alter the casep 1t was
useless to say that she had no right to keep
the cows in custody, for had they not coun-
seled her to do so? AS to going to law about
it would they not become the sport of the
whole town?
He that diggeth pit, he himself shall fall
into it, said Miss Letitia, who read what was
passing in their minds as well as If they had
spoken, for the light of 1saacs lantern fell
full upon their faces. However, on condi.
ton l will free the cows and forgive the
debt"
"What is that?" Both thought the ques.
ton, but did not ask it,
THE condition is that you promise to put
a good new fence in place of the old one that
separates your estates, dividing the costs be-
tween you, that henceforth you will live to-
gether peacefully, SO far as in you lies. Do
you promise ?"
"Yes," muttered both, in q voice scarcely
audible.
"Shake hands upon it theD," said Miss
Letitia.
They did so.
"Now let the COWS out, Isaac it's time they
were MIXED" said she. And the two men
went way driving their cows before them,
and with shame-faced air, greatly in con-
trast to the look of triumph with which they
had before quilted her presence.
The fence was built, and the strife ceased
when the cause was removed but 1t was long
before Miss Lettia's part in the affair came to
the public ear; for she herself maintained a
strict silence concerning it, and she eDjoined
the same upon her man-servant, Isaac.